The kitchen markets in the capital saw another round of price hike this week, with fish, potato and other vegetables getting dearer.
After Eid holidays, the markets are yet to return to normal as presence of consumers and traders remained thin.
The price of potato has increased to Tk25-32 a kg from Tk22-25 before Eid.
Most vegetables saw an increase of Tk10-15, compared to prices before the Eid.
Seasonal snake gourd, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, brinjal and eddoe were selling at Tk50-70 a kg and bitter gourd at Tk65-80 a kg on Thursday.
Leafy vegetables witnessed a hike of Tk3.0-5.0 per bunch.
Waliul Kabir Sabuj, an NGO official, who came to Banalata Kitchen Market in New Market area, said vendors were charging prices at their whim.
Md Golam Rabbani, a vegetable vendor, said the prices of vegetables have jumped after Eid amid shortage of supply.
More than half of wholesalers are yet to open their shops at Beribandh and Karwan Bazar wholesale markets in the city, he said.
President of Bangladesh Vegetable Wholesalers Association Md Imran Master said the average turnover of wholesalers at Karwan Bazar market in the last four days was only 10 per cent of the turnover in any normal day.
Many of the traders haven't returned to the capital after Eid holidays, he said.
Asked, he said the potato prices increased as cold storages were yet to reopen.
The wholesale and retail markets are likely to return to normal from Friday evening, he said.
During a visit to three kitchen markets on Thursday, this correspondent found only 15 to 20 per cent of fish vendors have turned up.
Hilsa, rui, katla, sorputi, shrimp and catfish were available in the markets, but the prices are much higher.
Medium-sized hilsa (650-800 gram) was selling at Tk500-800 a piece and small-sized shrimp at Tk450- 600 a kg.
Both the fishes saw an increase of Tk 100-150.
However, prices of broiler chicken and garlic witnessed a slight decline in the city while imported onion saw a hike of Tk 3-4 per kg.
